A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was involved in an “accident” on Sunday, May 19th, in the mountainous Jofa region of East Azerbaijan province.
The cause of the accident is attributed to poor weather conditions, with heavy fog hindering rescue efforts.
State media initially reported a “rough landing” but later reports, including from the reformist Shargh daily, described it as a crash.
Raisi, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and potentially other local officials, were reportedly onboard the aircraft.
A search and rescue operation is underway, but communication with the helicopter remains difficult due to the weather.
The President was visiting the province for the inauguration ceremony of a dam project alongside his Azeri counterpart, Ilham Aliyev.
Two other helicopters in his convoy reached their destination safely.
Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi confirmed the incident and emphasized the challenges faced by rescue teams due to the harsh weather.
No information regarding the President’s condition or the extent of the damage has been released yet.
This developing story will be updated as more details become available.
